Trust
by The Eccentric
Summary: (Sequel to Tease & Tempt) On a mission gone awry, Artemis and Aqualad are stranded while the rest of the Team and the League respond to an emergency. Even with an injury, it definitely could be worse. The fact that the two trust one another helps exponentially.


This is the third installment of the series, preceded by _Tease_& _Tempt__.  
_While not recommended, each can be read as a standalone with little confusion.

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consider it disclaimed.

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enjoy.

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**trust**

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Nearly stumbling over the loose rocks scattered across the ground, Artemis planted her hand against the cool, wooden door in front of her to steady herself as she attempted to get her breathing under control. While she knew she shouldn't waste any time, she figured that she could spare a minute to compose herself.

Artemis didn't get that spare moment as the door holding her up swung open. She nearly fell as instinct took over, righting her footing in a way that made the gash across the side of her calf protest painfully.

"Artemis," a relieved breath and a steadying hand welcomed her. "Thank Neptune you are well."

"Aqualad, where's everyone else?" her voice was rougher than normal, her throat raw from the harsh, night air. A quick look in the the nearly dark room behind her leader proved that no one else was present, it was far too quiet for them to have made it yet. Her heart seemed to sink into her stomach, suddenly ladened with concern for her absent teammates.

"Miss Martian was sent to collect the others and remove them from harms way," Aqualad informed her as he coaxed her into the small bunker, pushing the door closed with his foot as he supported her weight. Leading her to an uncomfortable looking sofa, he carefully helped her sit before speaking. "Had we known you were severely injured, Batman would have insisted on your retrieval first."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "What happened to the radio silence? And I'm not that injured, I did make it back here without dropping dead."

"I am certain that each position being ambushed would be considered a 'dire situation' if we were to ask Batman," Kaldur replied, giving her a flat look over his shoulder as he searched a wobbly looking cabinet for something. "Your injuries are also far more severe than any of other injuries obtained if Miss Martian's descriptions are accurate. Medical attention will certainly be necessary even if they are not life threatening at this point, but until someone is sent to retrieve the two of us, I will tend to what I can."

The white box Kaldur's hand looked brand new compared to the worn furniture in the small room and Artemis was tempted to stand in protest of her injuries being severe. Had it been Wally or Robin, or Roy, she would have without a second thought; but this was Kaldur'ahm. She didn't have a thing to gain from putting on a tough face and she was certain he would have given her one of his unnervingly, calm looks until she relented.

Besides, she had gained more injuries than she would have liked to. Just about every part of her hurt.

"I just got the unlucky position, I guess. I found where their real warehouse is, by the way," she commented lightly, sinking into the couch. Her eyes closed as her head tilted back and she felt some of the tension in her shoulders melt away.

A second sigh, but this time weariness weighed down the voice that followed, "We should not have split up. With such a large area to cover, I had not imagined we would locate the warehouse on the first day."

"Dumb luck?" Artemis offered as a weak attempt to placate her companion. "It was one of the better camouflaged buildings I've spotted...er—stood on top of."

"That is no excuse," he replied, setting the first aid kit down on the low coffee table in front of her. Kneeling next to her leg, he inspects the laceration closely, frowning. "I apologize, Artemis, but this will need stitches. Is this the only open wound you obtained?"

Artemis mimicked his frown, she hated stitches. They would always itch and, more often than not, she ended up pulling them early. "Bullet grazed mid thigh, but I think the bleeding has stopped for the most part. Other than that, just bruises and minor scrapes ."

"I will still have to sterilize and cover the wound though."

"Do we have a blanket or something? I'll have to get these pants off," Artemis' frown deepened as she asked. Another uniform ruined, great.

"Of course." He didn't even bat an eye at the suggestion, ever their calm and cool leader, merely stood back up, walked away, bringing a thin blanket back when he reappeared. Artemis had managed to shed her boots and socks by the time he came back and was unclasping her utility belt, tossing it on the table where her quiver and bow rested.

Inspecting the cut on her leg, she grimaced. No wonder her foot felt uncomfortably moist, she thought she had been imagining the quiet squelching noise. "You'll probably have to cut around that. These pants are done for anyways."

Kaldur merely nodded, fishing the scissors from the medical kit before pulling on a pair of blue gloves. He began diligently slicing through the fabric, starting at her ankle. As he reached the knee, he carefully began pulling the blood soaked fabric that had attached to her skin. From the corner of his eye, he could see the way Artemis cringed as he began to work the fabric from the edges of the wound.

She breathed out as he finished, the now stiff fabric hanging from the back of her knee. He quickly cut what held that fabric, letting it fall to the floor and passed her the scissors.

"I am certain you do not wish to pull your pants over that bullet wound after that," he explains at the dumbfounded look she gives the scissors. She nods and sets to work, cutting from her waistband down. "There are spare clothes stored here in case of emergencies such as this."

Artemis only cuts far enough to peel the fabric cleanly off the wound before taking the proffered gauze and hydrogen peroxide in exchange for the scissors. He had already cleaned the wound on her calf and hesitated with a curved needle in hand. "I apologize, but there is no local anesthesic included in the kit. This...will hurt."

Artemis nodded shakily, a laugh bubbling from her throat. "I'll be fine."

She quickly finished taping down the fresh square of gauze over the wound she was tending to and pulled off one of her arm guards. Folding it over a couple of times, she bit down on the green fabric. Briefly meeting Kaldur's eyes, she nodded and closed her own.

The needle pressing against her skin for those milliseconds nearly made her jump and she didn't even feel it go through as she focused on staying still. Artemis felt the tug and slid of the sutures, her stomach rolling uneasily as the needle slid through the tender flesh once more. This time she noticed the pain. Tears stung the inner corners of her eyes and an audibly unsteady breath slipped between her teeth.

"You are handling this better than most people." Kaldur doesn't halt his movements to speak, his words serving as a distraction. Something new to focus on, and that's exactly what she did. He didn't expect a reply, he made that clear as he continued. "Better than myself even. I have never been in this type of situation before. I knew of the process, but I have never been required to utilize that knowledge. I had hoped I would never be forced to put it to practice."

Artemis let out another breath, this one less shaky, as she opened her eyes. She take in her team leader carefully. His eyebrows are knitted together while his eyes are focused on stitching her back together, more than likely straining in the bad lighting. His posture is stiff, but if he is nervous, it doesn't show as his hand is steady as he pushes the needle back through the ski—

She looks away quickly, feeling her stomach threaten to heave at the sight. This time she doesn't even notice the sting of the needle.

"Just a few more and I will be finished," he murmurs quietly. Artemis is thankful as she bites down at the next pass through her skin.

Cutting the sutures carefully with tip of the scissors, Kaldur pulls back for a moment to admire his work. It wasn't pretty, but at the very least Artemis wouldn't bleed out. He began to clean it carefully, before wrapping it with gauze.

"I truly hope I never have to do this again," he deadpans as Artemis rolls her eyes.

"Well, you definitely won't have to do it for me again. Once is enough," she agrees, surprising herself at the cheerful tone, despite the dull ache in her leg.

There was the telltale snap as Kaldur pulled the stained gloves from his hands. He places them back into the package he had torn them from, setting it to the side as he packs up the reusable items of the medical kit before shutting the lid. Standing, he picks up the box and the assortment of garbage and deposits them in the proper places.

Noticing that he had taken the scissors as well, Artemis digs around her in her utility belt until she finds the small pocketknife. Looking down at the scraps left of her uniform pants, she reminds herself that they are a lost cause...and the fabric around the gauze on her thigh is starting to rise up and irritate the wound. She's swift with the first cut, from a few inches above her knee down to her ankle, fabric falling away. Pausing to grab the blanket set to the side, she covers herself modestly enough that she won't feel too awkward should Kaldur return. As she is splitting the side of the second pant leg, Kaldur does return. He remains silent as she tosses the green fabric onto the coffee table.

"That was fun," she starts. "Let's never do it again."

A small smile appears on his lips, along with a slight nod of his head. He sits in front of her on the coffee table, elbows on his knees as he leans forward. "As I said before, I hope not to."

"Just wanted to make sure," she confirms with a nod of her own. "And thank you, by the way. You could have just wrapped it and left it until someone can to get us, anyone else probably would have."

"None of us would have done so," he reprimands lightly. "The risk of infection or blood loss would be too high."

"Okay, what I meant is that there are people I probably wouldn't let poke me with a needle," Artemis clarifies. "That only comes with a certain level of trust...and competence."

He doesn't reprimand her for the latter, "I trust you as well, Artemis."

"So...yeah. Thanks and everything," she mutters, feeling blood rush to her face at his admittance.

"You said those were the only two major injuries you suffered, correct?" His voice had shifted back to his serious tone and just as quickly she nodded.

"Yes. Though the bullet wound wasn't too serious," she corrected.

"At anytime during the ambush, did you hit your head? I need to be certain that you are not suffering from a concussion before letting you rest," he asks, eyes scanning her face.

"Nope," her response was short.

"Good." His shoulders drooped slightly with her reply and his face looks far less weary than it had. Without thinking, Artemis leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. She felt his body tense back up, possibly at the surprise, of her sudden contact, but his arms relented and gently wrapped around her own torso. His voice was a whisper in her ear, "I am relieved that you are alright."

"I could say the same about you. I didn't even realize it was an ambush, I just thought I was in the wrong place at the wrong time," she admitted.

"They must have anticipated our interference." He pulls back, hands falling idly to his sides and a look of concentration overtakes his features. "We should have acted more carefully. I should have —"

"Would you stop with that?" Artemis's voice isn't unkind as she cuts him off. "You're talking about the Team here. When are our actions ever careful? And your plans was the most logical for the situation. We're all alive."

"Your injuries could have been fatal."

"But they're not. So cheer up, because I am not going crazy watching you sulk until _Mother _decides to pick us up," Artemis chides.

"Did you just refer to Batman as...Mother?" The change in Kaldur's voice and expression was immediate. Amused skepticism was much better than guilt in her opinion.

"Maybe I did," she grins coyly.

"Now all I can imagine is Batman and my own mother trading parenting tips," he chuckle shaking his head. Artemis laughs as well, imagining what the meeting between her mother and Batman would be like if the discussed topic was parenting.

"At least it would be an interesting conversation?" she offers through her light laughter.

"At the very least, you are correct," Kaldur agrees. Their conversation lulled and both were left with their thoughts.

After a long moment, Kaldur busied himself with disposing of the ruined fabric of her pants, leaving her alone. Through the open archway, she sees him tampering with some type of communicator. Artemis can't hear his words or the response from the other end of the line (probably Batman), sans a few syllables here and there. Reaching for an arrow from her quiver, she checked the tip, straining to hear the conversation.

It did no good. She would need Conner's hearing if she wanted to eavesdrop on the quiet tones. Giving up on her eavesdropping she waited for Kaldur to return before shooting him a curious look.

"We will be staying the night, it seems," he informs her irately. "Miss Martian and the others were immediately sent as backup on an emergency with the League. Someone will be arrive in the morning."

"At least we have a timeline," Artemis pointed out. Not only did they have an idea of when someone would collect them, they weren't left without shelter forcing them to brave the cold in their normal uniforms. She added teasingly, "My medical attention can wait, if that's what you're worried about."

Kaldur merely sighed, taking a seat on the edge of the coffee table in favor of responding.

Minutes passed slowly, leaving Artemis wishing she had brought her phone along. After the stakeout with Roy, it had become habit to leave it at home or the Mountain. Now she longed for the convenience of the many apps and list of people to converse with, the latter just to know what exactly she and Kaldur were missing out on.

Her eyes searched the room for a clock of some kind, so she could know how far off morning was, or something distracting, so she could forget how far off morning might be. There was nothing out in the open, everything hidden in a drawer or cabinet. Artemis dismissed the idea of getting up to search each inch of the bunker at a dull stab of pain from her calf. Her eyes landed back on her stoic leader, messing with one of his water bearers, eyebrows knitted together in concentration.

She almost didn't want to break that concentration, but having nothing to do was already beginning to grate on her nerves. She leaned forward to return the arrow in her hands to her quiver, noting the slight tensing as she briefly moved closer to Kaldur. It lasted seconds as she leaned back, as comfortable as she could into the couch.

"So what are we supposed to do until they get here?" she asks, nearly wincing at the childish tone that coats the words.

"Bide our time with whatever we can, I suppose." He gave her a stern look from the corner of his eye. "But you should rest."

"Not tired," she easily states, now sounding even more like a petulant child avoiding their bed time.

"It is not my place to force you, Artemis. I am not your mother," he counters, pausing briefly. A sly grin brightens his features. "Or Batman."

Artemis snickers to herself, "I swear I'm going to call him Batmom one of these days."

"I would advise against doing so myself, but..." he trailed off with a smile.

Her laughter lightens and she looks at Kaldur thoughtfully. "How do you think he likes the team?"

"Just as well as any one of us likes the team is the logical answer." He shrugs after a moment. "We all have our differences, but we manage to work cohesively; and without fighting, for the most part."

"Baywatch can be difficult to get along with, you've seen it firsthand," she points out defensively.

"Red Arrow as well?" his eyebrow arched as he asks and Artemis can't fight the blush staining her cheeks.

"Well...y-yeah," she stutters, looking away.

"I did not actually believe him to be telling the truth." Artemis groans, her face immediately shielded by her hands, cursing the redhead...both the redheads. "I am...surprised to say the least."

"I can't believe he told you," she murmured into her hand, face still on fire. "No one is ever going to trust me on a mission again. Batman is going to kick me off the team and tell Green Arrow, who will tell my mother. Somehow my dad and sister are going to find out and let me tell you, that will—"

"Calm down, Artemis," Kaldur almost laughs, far too at ease with the topic. "No one will find out. Roy would have my head if I spoke to anyone of it."

"So you bring it up to me?" she questions, an eyebrow arching tightly.

"Not specifically, of course," he defends. "As I said before, I was not certain he had told me the truth."

"Roy's an idiot," she seethes. "Telling you, the leader of the team that I'm on! I'm going to choke him with his bow strings and shove an ar—"

"Roy and I are friends, Artemis. We have been for years," he reminds her calmly. He finds her outbursts amusing, but is careful not to let her on to the fact. "I just do not understand how two people that dislike each other can be compatible...in any way."

Artemis shrugs before slouching back into the couch. Her response is gruff, "Hormones."

"Hormones cannot be the answer to every issue the human race comes across," he claims skeptically.

"When you're a teenager, it's the only answer you need," she counters, nonchalantly. "It didn't even mean anything."

"Roy was adamant about that as well," Kaldur admitted,propping his water bearers carefully against the the edge of the table.

"See? At least we're on the same page there."

"How is it that the two of you can have such distrust and distaste for one another and claim it means nothing?" Kaldur was genuinely curious.

"I don't know. Probably something else to do with hormones," Artemis said leaning forward. "If there's any kind of tension, usually that leads to some kind of physical compatibility, even without emotions involved. Teenage hormones, the eighth world wonder."

Kaldur frowned, his eyebrows pulling toward one another again as he thought very carefully. The tips of his fingers drew briefly against his palms as he formed a fist and release only seconds later. From the corner of his eye, he could see Artemis waiting for him to say something; maybe for him to ask another question. With one more deep breath, he turned to face her, expression carefully measured as he spoke.

"So hypothetically, if I were to kiss you now, would it determine possible physical compatibility?"

Artemis's mouth felt dry and she fought the urge to swallow. "Yeah, I guess. I don't see why it wouldn't."

"Fine." He moved to his previous seat with little problem, his hands carefully placed on his knees as he leaned forward just enough to catch her lips.

The kiss was chaste, lingering feather light on their lips. Neither of them pulled back, lips a hairs breadth apart and their eyes wide, staring almost cautiously at one another. The lack of uncertainty, regret, hesitance, kept them from moving apart.

Roughly their lips met again, opening without insistence to taste what waited. Artemis wasn't disappointed, he tasted earthy and sweet despite hailing from the ocean. Her teeth gently tugged at his lower lip as her fingers kneaded the taunt muscles in his shoulder with the unsaid excuse of pulling him closer.

Her fingers stray, softly tracing the foreign gills. A strangled groan met her lips in a heated breath. Feeling coy, she pulled away from his lips to press light kisses up his jaw. A light nibble on his earlobe as he breaths her name quietly. She blows softly across the barely noticeable slits before pressing a firm kiss at the base of his neck and sucking lightly.

"Artemis," he warns, his voice raspy. She complies, rolling her eyes as she pulls away. Without warning, his fingers dip under edge of her mask softly over the apples of her cheeks before pulling it over her head and letting it rest loosely at the back of her neck.

Kaldur studies her face for a long minute, pale green eyes nearly glowing despite the dim light, Her eyes skim over him, noting the way his chest moved under his shirt, the way he had stood to lean over her, and his evident arousal straining against the fabric of his pants. He managed to cut off her observation with a soft press of his lips against the bare skin of her shoulder, a hand smoothing across it afterwards.

"Artemis, we shoul—" his breath felt enticingly warm on her neck and she felt the cool air almost burn as she pushed him away abruptly. If she hadn't been so frustrated , she may have laughed at the startled expression on her team leader's face.

"I swear, if you finish that sentence..." she threatened in a low voice.

He didn't. Eyes closed briefly as Kaldur's expression of surprise turned to amusement, before opening once more and pinning her with an intense stare.

"As you wish," he breathed out against the shell of ear. The chaste kiss he placed on her jaw lingered and her own breath caught in her throat, eyes fluttering shut as her toes curled in anticipation.

His hands moved to press against her own, palm to palm. Fingers slid gently across the slightly damp skin up her slim wrists, pulse fluttering against the tips of his fingers. Kaldur continued slowly, his eyes trained on her face as he trailed across the sensitive skin. Pausing briefly, he cast a questioning look as she jumped when he skimmed up the junction of her elbows. A pleased smiled pulled at his lips and Artemis rolled her eyes, despite the pretty flush staining the apples of her cheeks.

"You're such a tease," she murmured, leaning forward and bringing her to his eye level.

"Perhaps your impatience is the issue," Kaldur replied evenly, lips brushing against hers.

"Perhaps you're wrong," Artemis mocked softly, bringing her lips fully against his. Wasting no time, her fingers trace his jaw to eventually lock at the back of his neck, pulling him closer.

Kaldur responds fluidly, sucking lightly on her bottom lip, teeth tugging it teasingly. His own hands had strayed from the modest position at her elbows. One resting at her hip, covered by the scratchy blanket as the other fumbled with the leather tie holding her hair back. As the leather cord slid away from the blonde tresses into the deep confines of the couch, Kaldur pressed Artemis back into the cushion. Half standing, he carefully slid a knee between her legs to rest on the couch for leverage.

Feeling suddenly warm, Artemis wriggled until the blanket covering her was mostly off. The cool air of the bunker didn't help dispel the heat she felt. Unclasping her hands, she skimmed her hands over the broad shoulders, down his arms, back up and over the plains of his chest, savoring the feel of the hard muscle under her fingers. Managing to get purchase on the fabric of his uniform top, she pulls until he is pressed against her.

Using the small groan Kaldur lets loose to her advantage, she deepens the kiss and the hand on her hip slips away downward to rest beside her. She jumped, cringing when pain shoots through her as his wrist presses into the wound on her thigh. Abruptly, he pulls away, shifting his weight onto the foot still on the floor.

"You are injured," he scolds himself quietly, breath still heavy as he . "I do not wish to injure you further, especially unintentionally."

"That's awfully egotistical of you," Artemis drawls, brushing off the slight throbbing in her leg while fiddling with the fabric still clutched between her fingers.

Kaldur found it difficult to give her his standard stern look. Failing in his attempt and managing to merely look disgruntled, he denies her playful jab. "I did not mean it in that manner, Artemis."

Her name rolled off his tongue softly despite his serious tone, causing a slow tingle to slip down the length of her spine. Against her better judgment, she sighs and releases the hold she has on his shirt and does her best not to pout. "I was just joking."

In a slow, graceful movement, both of his feet are solidly back on the floor and he is towering over her. He looks everywhere but the space she takes currently inhabits. "I know that."

Artemis lets her head fall back against the cushion and closes her eyes, blocking out what little light there is. She hears Kaldur moving away and shuffling about somewhere to her right, but she really couldn't care as to what he was doing. She was ready for this mission to be over.

"There is a change of clothes for you in the chest," his voice was quiet, further away. The click of a door mechanism helped place him in the small hallway at one of the two doors. "Artemis...I apologise."

The door clicked shut and Artemis let out a low groan. Kicking the blanket off of her feet, she stands up and stretches. Casting a look around the dimly lit room, she spots the chest Kaldur had mentioned and doesn't bother paying it any mind. Instead, she heads immediately for the white bottle sitting on the counter in the small kitchenette. Picking it up, she silently praises whatever higher being let the small bottle contain Tylenol. Her legs still burned, despite being wrapped tightly, and without any kind of distraction it was the only she had to focus on.

Dry swallowing the tablets, she began to pace. Back and forth, just as her thoughts moved in her head. She didn't notice that her feet had led her to the door Kaldur had entered, before her ears registered the muffled spray of water her knuckles had already rapped sharply against the door.

"Look, I'm sorry. My leg is fine and we can just forget this, okay?" she called over the sound of the shower. "Really, it's no big deal."

Feeling a bit dumb standing (and a bit sore), talking to a door that wasn't talking back, Artemis turns to lean her shoulder against the unresponsive piece of wood with a tired sigh. "I didn't mean to—"

The door was gone beneath the and for the second time today, a warm hand steadied her. "Artemis?"

She jumped away, silently berating herself for moving off the couch. "Sorry. I just..."

The white towel wrapped loosely around defined hips forced her eyes to snap upwards, blush making her feel even more awkward than she had originally.

"Felt like conversing with the door?"

"Wanted to apologize," she corrected without thought, cringing as her cheeks flushed further.

Kaldur said nothing on the color of her face, frowning and looking away instead. "Artemis, there is no reason for you to apologize."

"No, there is," Artemis protested firmly. "I kissed you back. So I am sorry. I tried to push you—"

"I am just as much at fault as you, Artemis," he rebuked. "We allowed ourselves to get out of hand."

"No, we didn't," she protested forcefully as he turned away. Hands grasping the edges of the small counter hard enough to cause a twinge of pain in his palms. He stared down at the basic metal basin that had dulled over time.

"You know that I trust you, right?" her voice was muffled as she spoke. "I know that you wouldn't hurt me."

Staring at himself in the chipped mirror, Kaldur noted that he looked awful. For it having only been a short mission, it had been a rough one. The blonde mane peeking over his shoulder looked messy already, he could only imagine the time Artemis must have brushing it in the morning.

"You had mentioned it earlier," he finally speaks after a minute. His voice is quiet as he carefully watch the gray eyes seek his out over in the mirror. Her brow furrows and he isn't sure if she had even heard him over the sound of the water beating against the tile. "I just do not wish to take advantage of you while you are injured. Regretting an action is a heavy burden."

"The burden of inaction weighs just as much," Artemis counters, pulling at his arm until he complies and faces her. "If not more."

"Inaction leads to what if, and 'what if' ends with living through fantasies of the different ways it could play out," she continues with a sigh. A coy snicker followed. "What's life without action anyways?"

Kaldur chuckled dryly against his better judgement. "I hope that is not a legitimate question."

"I hope not either, because I'd rather not think about the answer," she says softly, arms hesitantly slipping around his torso. After a still moment, he reciprocated, hands resting midback. Standing on her toes, Artemis placed her own kiss on his lips.

It lingers, feather light between the two as they separate barely a hairs breadth apart. Chaste and sweet, unlike the rough battles of dominance one might call kisses she had shared with Roy, or what she can only imagine as eager yet clumsy kisses she could have experienced with Wally.

The thought that maybe tension wasn't the only thing that could determine physical attraction crossed her mind, but Artemis didn't bother to dwell much more on the subject as her back pressed into the unforgiving wall. She hadn't even realized they had been moving.

"Tell me to stop. I fear if you do not, Artemis," his voice was a hushed plea as he brushed his lips against her neck. "I will be unable to."

A soft sigh escapes her lips at the barest of touches. "Please don't."

His teeth bite into the the sensitive skin, hard enough to leave a mark, as his fingers graze over her bare ribcage. Skimming over her chilled skin, his fingers edged under the tight fabric of her top, caressing soft skin. Pulling away from her neck, he meets her eyes briefly and with a short nod he begins tugging the fabric over her head. The top landed with a soft whisper, sliding against the tile and Artemis was left in her undergarments.

Squirming against the chilled air, Artemis fought the instinct to cover her now bare chest with no need. There was no awkward lapse as Kaldur caught her lips once more, his palms cupping her pert breasts. His thumbs swiped lightly over her hardened nipples bringing an abrupt end to their kiss as Artemis arched into him, her head lolling back against the wall as she whimpered. Taking advantage of her exposed neck, Kaldur presses a kiss to her throat. Moving slowly, he continues downward. Savoring each kiss he places as his tongue sweeps languidly across the skin. His teeth scrape lightly against the swell of her breast and he is deliberate as his lips skim across the pebbled nipple.

Artemis' hand had found vantage at the back of him neck, pulling to keep him close with each kiss he placed. A soft sigh slipped between her lips, disdained, as he continued his descent. Kaldur paused, half kneeling, to inspect a darkening bruise on her ribs.

"It's fine," Artemis reassured, watching him carefully. He nods, meeting her eyes as he places another kiss on top of the blemish. It's somehow gentler, softer compared to the other kisses he had been pressing against her skin and Artemis blushes.

Another kiss is placed just next to the dip that is her belly button and she nearly giggles. His fingers hooked into the sides of her panties, slowly pulling them down as he placed kisses down her taut abdomen. As he reached her hipbone, he released the flimsy lace. His tongue traced down the prominent bone, only to be stopped by a hand tugging at the back of his neck.

"Please don't," Artemis breathed out, grin firmly on her lips. Kaldur allowed himself to be pulled back to his feet by her insistent hand with a low chuckle.

"Modesty, perhaps?" he murmured softly into the side of her neck, his hands smoothing up her soft skin.

"Not exactly," she let's out a laugh of her own.

"Have you changed your mind?" he asked in a more serious tone.

"Would you stop if I had?" She surprises him, matching his tone.

"Of course I would Artemis, I would never—"

Artemis smiles as she speaks, " I know."

Kaldur takes a breath, searching his companion's eyes. She stares back confidently and, for once, he's the one that looks away.

"How do you purpose we...?" He gestures as he trails off. Artemis nearly laughs as the suddenly bashful expression, instead pressing a hand into his chest and forcing him to step back.

"With my injuries, holding me up isn't the best idea," she replies as she turns her back toward him. "This is probably the easiest position for the situation."

Kaldur said nothing, but Artemis waited. Her hands had found purchase on the wall, her head tilted back just enough so she could watch him from the corner of her eye. His hand was careful, as though she was made of glass, moving along her spine before resting at her hip. That hand pulled her lightly towards him, adjusting the angle just enough to make up for the height discrepancies.

"Are you certain?" Pale jade hold steely grey with utmost seriousness.

"Yes," she breathes out and he presses into her slowly. She cringes at the new stretching and he stills, breathing labored. "I'm fine. Just a little tense."

"I told you, I did not wish to hur—"

"You're not, I'm just nervous. It's not like I don't masturbate," she chuckles lightly, breathing out slowly as she presses back onto his shaft. The low moan that escapes his throat, speeds her pace and soon she's impaled herself completely. Her breath is heavy and she feels him twitch inside of her.

"Artemis?" He sounds strained and his breath is hot against her skin as he pushes the thick curtain of hair aside.

"I'm fine," she reassures him again. Kaldur doesn't say a word as his lips press against her shoulder fervently, his hips slowly drawing back into shallow thrusts that are quick to make her own hips roll.

He quickly picks up the rhythm set by her hips and deepens his thrusts, a moan ripping from her throat as he presses into her fully. Her toes are already curling tightly as her muscles in her legs and back coil, she's already close, but not quite there yet.

Pulling one hand from its steadying place on the wall, she dips it to the apex of her thighs. Her pointer finger is quick to locate the small bundle of nerves. She lets out a keening whimper as she presses against it almost painfully as Kaldur buries himself fully in her. White heat burns through her tensed body, shaking slightly as her climax hits. Her walls clamp down on the member and Kaldur wills himself to continue movement, to prolong her first high.

Every single nerve in her body, feels overloaded as her muscles relax once more. Her breath is hard and she closes her eyes as Kaldur plants chaste kisses across her neck and shoulders, behind her ears, every inch of skin he could reach as she trembles slightly. His own movements had slowed as she came undone.

"I guess I was more worked up than I thought," she made the excuse, a breathless chuckle escaping her throat.

"You are still too tense, Artemis," he replies. The hand slung around her waist moved carefully, tracing a path over her hipbone and down to the apex of her thighs. He finds the same spot she had before, and circles the bundle of nerves lightly. A soft mewl of pleasure reaches his ears.

"Quick learner." She says it as though it's intended as an insult, but the way she arches her back tightly suggests otherwise.

"I have always enjoyed learning," he murmurs as he renews his pace, rubbing the the bud as he does so. It doesn't take long before he can feel her walls tightening around him again once more. His thrusts were growing unsteady and his breath, harsh.

"Please," it was a soft whimper and Kaldur couldn't help but want to oblige. His movements quickening and losing all rhythm. His muscles pulled taut as her walls squeezing him tightly, nearly ceasing his movements with her orgasm. Hips driving forward with his final thrusts, the low whimper evidence of Artemis's pleasure resonating in his ears as he pressed into her fully, shuddering as he released.

It was over in seconds; but timed slowed as the two of them tried to catch their breath, their bodies seemingly numb from anything but the lingering pleasure. Artemis nearly sliding to her knees as Kaldur pulled her to him, head resting against her shoulder. His skin felt as though it was burning, but the press of her skin against his was cool and comforting.

"That was..." Artemis trailed off breathlessly.

"Yes, it was," Kaldur agreed with a soft chuckle. Artemis bit back a yawn.

"We should get some rest," she suggests hoarsely.

"After we clean up. Please go ahead, while there is still warm water. I can shower in cold water with no discomfort," a stern edge creeping into his voice. "I will be back momentarily. We're going to need clean clothes."

"Right," Artemis agrees unsteadily.

"Please be careful getting water on your stitches," he called gently over his shoulder. She nodded despite the fact he couldn't see the gesture, watching him leave the room.

Her heart hammered against her chest and she still wasn't breathing properly, a new blush rising on her cheeks as she took in what had just happened. Artemis felt too warm as she processed, mindlessly moving to turn the temperature of the water down before carefully stepping in, wary of the bandages. Under the cool spray of the water, her breathing evened and her heartbeat calmed. The water beat down across her bare back and her eyes closed as she released a content sigh.

Unbeknownst to her, Kaldur pressed his back against the door Artemis had leaned on not long ago. A frown marred his features despite the satisfying warmth that ached in his muscles as he let out a deep breath. Pushing his weight off the door, he strode back into the main room with his original objective in mind trying to shove any other thoughts to the back of his mind.

Clean clothing hanging over his arm, his hand hesitated over the door knob. A grimace pulled at his lips and under his breath he murmurs to no one, "I know when Roy is lying, so I truly hope you know what you are doing, Artemis, because I cannot claim I do anymore either."

* * *

It's been...awhile. A long, long while. I've actually had this written up, sans a few key parts, since...oh, November of 2013? A review on Tempt kinda spurred me into finishing it. So, my bad.

I've edited this thing into oblivion, just so you know. So I'm going to give it a day before reading it again and going back to fine tune it completely, but I figured that I've made the people I've promised this wait long enough.  
But I'm not completely dead yet, just uninspired. So this won't be the last from me, promise. I have an idea as to where this is going to end, when I get to it, so maybe one or two more real installments before we hit that conclusion?  
Hopefully, they won't take a year for each one.

Let me know what you think!


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